They Can’t Push Us Around Forever

The following is a letterÂ from Tennessee to the other 49Â State Legislatures

We send greetings from the Tennessee General Assembly.Â On June 23, 2009, House Joint Resolution 108, the State Sovereignty Resolution, was signed by Governor Phil Bredesen.Â The Resolution created a committee which has as its charge to:

Communicate the resolution to the legislatures of the several states,

Assure them that this State continues in the same esteem of their friendship,

Call for a joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government, and

Seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates.

It is for those purposes that this letter addresses your honorable body.

In 1776, our founding fathers declared our freedom in the magnificent Declaration of Independence; our guide to governance.Â They established a nation of free and independent states.Â Declaring that the purpose of our political system is to secure for its citizens’ their natural rights.Â The Constitution authorizes the national government to carry out seventeen enumerated powers in Article 1, Section 8 and the powers of several of the ensuing amendments.

At the time of the Constitutional ratification process James Madison drafted the “Virginia Plan” to give Congress general legislative authority and to empower the national judiciary to hear any case that might cause friction among the states, to give the congress a veto over state laws, to empower the national government to use the military against the states, and to eliminate the states’ accustomed role in selecting members of Congress.Â Each one of these proposals was soundly defeated.Â In fact, Madison made many more attempts to authorize a national veto over state laws, and these were repeatedly defeated as well.

There are clear limits to the power of the federal government and clear realms of power for the states.Â However, the simple and clear expression of purpose, to secure our natural rights, has evolved into the modern expectation that the national government has an obligation to ensure our life, to create our liberty, and fund our pursuit of happiness.

The national government has become a complex system of programs whose purposes lie outside of the responsibilities of the enumerated powers and of securing our natural rights; programs that benefit some while others must pay.

Today, the federal government seeks to control the salaries of those employed by private business, to change the provisions of private of contracts, to nationalize banks, insurers and auto manufacturers, and to dictate to every person in the land what his or her medical choices will be.

Forcing property from employers to provide healthcare, legislating what individuals are and are not entitled to, and using the labor of some so that others can receive money that they did not earn goes far beyond securing natural rights, and the enumerated powers in the Constitution.

To be sure, the People created the federal government to be their agent for certain enumerated purposes only.Â The Constitutional ratifying structure was created so it would be clear that it was the People, and not the States, that were doing the ratifying.

The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that which has been delegated by the people to the federal government, and also that which is absolutely necessary to advancing those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States.Â The rest is to be handled by the state governments, or locally, by the people themselves.

The Constitution does not include a congressional power to override state laws.Â It does not give the judicial branch unlimited jurisdiction over all matters.Â It does not provide Congress with the power to legislate over everything. This is verified by the simple fact that attempts to make these principles part of the Constitution were soundly rejected by its signers.

With this in mind, any federal attempt to legislate beyond the Constitutional limits of Congress’ authority is a usurpation of state sovereignty – and unconstitutional.

Governments and political leaders are best held accountable to the will of the people when government is local. The people of a state know what is best for them; authorities, potentially thousands of miles away, governing their lives is opposed to the very notion of freedom.

We invite your state to join with us to form a joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government and to seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates.

Susan Lynn [send her email] is a member of the Tennessee General Assembly; serving on the Commerce Committee and Chairman of the Government Operations committee. She holds a BS in economics and a minor in history. She is the Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Councilâ€™s Commerce Task Force.Â Visit her blog at http://susan-lynn.blogspot.com

157 thoughts on “They Can’t Push Us Around Forever”

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You’ll be amazed at how many government school educated children believe that the second amendment was for “hunting”.
In fact,I’ll bet that you won’t be able to find a high school or younger child who’s aware of the original intent.
Control freaks shudder at the thought of being limited in their pursuits.

It all sounds so good but at the end I read that: “She is the Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Councilâ€™s Commerce Task Force.”
Years ago I read about ALEC. That’s how the powers-that-be get all the States and their rulers marching along in lock step. ALEC supplies the propaganda and models for legislation that is taken back to each State so unify everything nicely for the Feds. So what is Susan really up to?

Congratulations Rep. Lynn, keep up the good work in Tennessee. I only have one comment based on the following from the article:

“The role of our American government has been blurred, bent, and breached. The rights endowed to us by our creator must be restored.”

If our rights are endowed by some “c” creator, they are meaningless. The Declaration of Independence was corrected from the original draft to recognize the “C” Creator as the source of our rights as Americans. That capital “C” is all important. Perhaps some editor changed your original to the meaningless “c” that was provided above. Let us not forget the hand of Providence that brought an unusual assortment of great men and women together to establish a very new form of government.

On July 5, 2009, I presented a sermon on The Declaration of Independence as a Covenant Document. If we disregard the true nature of that document we deserve what is happening.

I will continue to pray that the free and sovereign states of American do reassert their proper roles within the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America!

lol That's a good idea LeRoy to get this letter more coverage, get the atheist liberals upset about the uses of creator in an official government document.

The discussion and comparison with the deceleration of independents could do a great deal to further our cause, although it may perhaps polarize incorrectly over the matter. So we will have to decide if the attention and good fight in the media over the issue is worth the atheist "horror" that the Government of the State of Tennessee officially indicated the existence of a "Creator".

Mr. Greenslade, your article is very good. John Jay and your words about the “Separation of Powers” are good.
I think we are dealing with folks (in the legislatures, especially at the State levels) who have not had to think about such profound issues.

Jan’s point is valid. “The camel has had it’s nose under the tent for a long time.” Many of the “structures” put into place need to be destroyed.

Representative Lynn is trying to use what has been given to her to stop the “onslaught.” If she is wise, she will walk circumspectly, armed with our Beloved History, supported by the prayers and tears of the Patriots, rejecting the “trash” and re-establishing the “treasures.”

The only way to fight tyrrany is to fully submit to Jesus Christ rather than simply giving Him “lip service” via “God Bless America”. America should BLESS GOD by obeying His Word. George Bush, Jr. was and is NOT a Christian. He is a militaristic hypocrite who instead of “loving your enemies and doing good to those who hate you” as Jesus commanded, seeks vengeance on innocent Iraqi and Aphgan citizens via “shock, awe”, and violence. “For though we walk in the flesh, WE DO NOT WAR according to the flesh.” 2 Cor 10:3 Barry Soetoro (Barack Obama) is following Bush, Jr. in lock step with the phony “war on terror” by sending our troops thousands of miles away to chase some alleged villain hiding in a cave, while the New World Order (Federal) government are seeking to impose “mandantory” vaccines (the Nazi’s called it EUGENICS or population reduction) on the American citizens and “Health Care” which translates to government elimination of “useless eaters” (elderly, handicapped, unwanted babies, etc.) who don’t contribute to their cash cow of economic wage, labor and tax slavery. These rich families who control the “Fed” have stolen and horded 95% of our wealth through ILLEGAL taxation, STAGED WARS and FALSE FLAG terror stunts, a controlled stock market and easy credit, high interest, monopoly money in place of real gold and silver, etc. etc. etc. State representatives can write letters all they want but trying to accomplish something through the strength of man or military might is useleess. God is withdrawing His hand from this nation because it is FULL OF HYPOCRITES who “honor Him with their lips while their hearts are far from Him”. Anyone who thinks Bush was a “praying Christian” does not know the God of the Bible who clearly says if we “honor iniquity in our hearts, He will NOT HEAR OUR PRAYERS!”. Vengeance belongs to God, NOT America, NOT George W. Bush, not Obama, not the U.S. Military. The U.S. Government does not have divine sanction to go into other nations and “conquer” them with violence and aggression and still call themselves a “Christian” nation. A “Christian” imitates CHRIST, The “Prince of Peace”. God said if we would obey Him and honor Him, HE would make ALL our enemies to be at peace with us! Obviously, that’s not the case with America. They don’t read His Word and honor Him. At best they listen to their “pastor” who was trained in a seminary, not by the Holy Spirit. Satan owns the Bible seminarys, so what do you expect. Most pastors are militaristic warmongers, just like their “Christian” idol G.W. Bush, who bowed to to his enemies “god” Allah at a Ramadan ceremony and Buddha at a Japanese Shinto Shrine. I don’t know what Bible Don above reads, but my Bible calls that IDOLATRY. The self-righteousness, spiritual blindness and hypocrisy of most Americans makes me SICK. John 10:10 says the “The devil comes to KILL, to STEAL and to DESTOY, but I (Jesus) have come that they many have LIFE and to have it more abundantly. Obviously, Americans are KILLING their enemies while their leaders are STEALING and DESTROYING our nation so it’s readily apparent WHO America is serving (not Jesus!).

One core problem contributing to this usurpation of power by the Federal Govt. is the lack of oversight by the Supreme Court. They sit on their duffs awaiting a lawsuit to reach their desk rather than ruling on the constitutionality of every law passed.

Since the Supreme Court can not be trusted to do their job (gotten too political and legal vs. what is Constutional), we must have a constitutional ammendment that forces any new/past law to a constitutional test. This should be judged not by a court, but by the legislatures of all the states. That way no law can be enacted unless 2/3 rd’s of the states agree. That will STOP all this madness and return power where it constitutionality belongs…Don’t even get me started about the madness of ‘president’ of court decisions and how those are manipulated and then referred to time and time again…it’s like a bad dream repeated just because it occured rather than each case standing on it’s own merits.

The problem with all this is: Are the states willing to give up all the goodies that they get from the federal government? What happens when the federal government says to the governors and state legislatures that:

There will be no federal stimulus money.

There will be no more federal highway funds.

There will be no more federal money for Pentagon contractors.

There will be no more federal grants and financial assistance for universities and students.

The federal government will pull out all military bases.

The federal government will pull out all NASA facilities.

The federal government will shut down TVA facilities.

The federal government will not be providing any more cooperation to state & local law enforcement to fight the war on drugs.

Etc.

And etc.

The problem is that the states have become so dependent upon the federal government that they simply can not break free, at least not without suffering grievous economic consequences.

And there are other things. The states have gleefully jumped on the federal government’s war on drugs bandwagon. They have accepted federal laws on asset forfeiture, roving wiretaps and profile searches, as well as federal police agencies (DEA, BATF), and federal funding for law enforcement. Are all of these going to be tossed out by the states?

Consider how many states have passed medical marijuana laws, which the federal government has refused to recognize. Would a governor be willing to call out the State National Guard to stop federal drug raids against medical marijuana clinics? Wouldn’t that be great on the six o’clock news, the National Guard taking on the DEA, both sides armed to the teeth?

You can see where all this is heading. I am not saying that the states can not reassert some sovereignty. But to do so will mean a radical change in any such state’s economy and law.

The belly aching of the so called conservatives and of state legislators that don’t do their job, only to complain later when the federal government is forced to do it for them is getting to be a bore.

Nobody did a thing to stop the banks and the big corporations from trying to bankrupt the country. But when the feds did it (with plenty of justification in their powers to protect the populace and to regulate interstate commerce, these legislators raise all kinds of hell. And, of course, right wingers eat it up.

My favorite one is the complaint about regulating how much corporations can pay their employees, right on the heels of their (righteous) outrage about the immoral pay that those corporations were paying.

Burke 101: The question is not what the states are willing to give up, it is at what cost we have given up in freedom and costitutional government. I ask where does the stimulus money come from? Citizens of the states.Who should be paying for education;bureacrats in DC or individuals and state entities? The military is a constitutional obligation of the fed and most will argue that is what we should expect from the federal government.

You see the red herring is what will you do without the federal money but the real question is what will the feds do if we stop sending the money to DC? I think many here will argue that citizens are still going to pay for government services but at the state level where they have more control and where it is supposed to be administered.

State budgets must be balanced and forces decisions of priority. Is it a prioroty to educate our kids or monitor McDonald’s nutrition information? The decisions are best closest to those paying the for the services. The federal budget allows for printing and borrowing and no need to balance.

By implementing the tenth amendment of the constitution the federal government will be forced to reduce its size and scope. The money being sent now to DC ends up supporting the programs the state really needs.

Federal Record

The war on poverty; failure
The war on drugs; failure
The war on ignorance; failure
The war on families; successful
The war against christianity; successful
The war on individual freedom; successful

To assume we need all of this government is to disregard what America has always been about. Your points are valid in that we have allowed for too long a federal growth that will end as our founders so prophetically envisioned; tyranny. We have been asleep at the wheel but also as Americans we know; it’s never over till it’s over.

And the feeling I get is the true fight for our country as envisioned by the founders has just begun…

To: Burke 101
You were right on target and historically correct. We were warned that when the public found out that they could get their legislators to vote to steal from others and give to their particular group we would spend our way into oblivion.
I do agree with Rich to a point. However, the decision is still out on the result of the wars on families, Christianity, and freedom. I live in the very cradle of liberty where our government was birthed. As the seeds of liberty and freedom were being sown strangers were also sowing the tares of secularism, pluralism, and privatization (The expulsion of God from all public venues. In other words it is okay for us to be Christian as long as we keep it at home and at church.) The two crops have now grown up and come to full flower. I pray that the Master will soon order the crop to be cut down and the grain gathered into the barns and the tares cast into the fire to be burned.
What can we do about it? Make noise, a lot of noise, until the rafters of the Capitol and the White House tremble. And, pray as if our problem is a God sized one — which it certainly is. “If my people who are called by my Name will humble themselves and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will then hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and heal their land.” II chronicle 7:14. If you want to know what will happen if we continue on out present course, read on the verse 22.

This woman has more cahooneys than a majority of the male congress combined!

I am proud of this patriot, and it is the starting few like her and other patriots who will continue to relight the spirit of freedom and bring back honor to the true Republic!

Be warned my fellow patriots, Corker has started legislation to stop the vital audit of the Fed (1207). We must hold the fed reserve and bankers accountable for their fraud if we are to take back the republic. He must go! Lamar voted against the audit also, for the bailouts, and for sotomayor. HE MUST GO. They have both sold us out in TN!!!!!

I will die standing before I will live under the black boot! God Bless freedom lovers!

Tennessee stands TALL today. Will the other 49 follow? If they all do so then the threat posed by a comment above would be null & void or greatly blunted. If all 50 states stand up for our Tenth Amendment Rights then where will the Feds spend all that money? UNITED WE STAND-DIVIDED WE GET TREAD ON.

this is the best news Ive heard all year, Im not from america, Im from finland, but what Obama is trying to do will effect the hole world, so my prayers go out to you, all of you, that stands up for what is right, and I know God is on your side…. bless you from the bottom of my hart……..

“Today, the federal government seeks to control the salaries of those employed by private business, to change the provisions of private of contracts, to nationalize banks, insurers and auto manufacturers, and to dictate to every person in the land what his or her medical choices will be”

Politics is not platitudinous accusation. Small specific actions which culminate in political power. Tactics realize a strategy, not a strategy is the tactic.

Do you think the government is going to bail out the banks every year?

So why do you think they will clip the wallets of all business for the rest of time?

I agree with everything this fine legislature spells out. But really! Is there any reasonable chance to beat back the tyranny and usurpation of the all encompassing federal government? Unlikely! The problem at its core is the American people themselves. They are simple, proud, boisterous, ridiculous, and embracing of an all too controlling federal government. Winning back our God-given rights with an opportunity for a future and a good life depends unequivocally upon the people themselves, and as the vast majority of Americans are ignorant, ridiculous, and apathetic fools, the likelihood that our God-given freedoms and our future can be restored are extremely remote. The dilemma therefore rests on the premise that for all practical purposes the war is lost! Thus, families and individuals must figure out how best to survive and exist in a socialist/communist/fascist oriented society. Not an easy task! We are entering the darkest period of our history. Very tragic.

This Tenth Amendment battle is the one that has to go forward and prove to the out of touch, way out of control monstrous entity aka FEDERAL GOVERNMENT in the U.S., that “WE THE PEOPLE” still have rights, we still have CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS, and damn it, we STILL HAVE REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS TO LIVE AND PROSPER AS FREE MEN AND WOMEN.

so yeah, till the nation collapses in on itself due to the debt these monsters who’ve sold us down the river, has created, WE THE PEOPLE still expect to be left alone, not to have our hard earned tax dollars squandered on illegal wars of aggression, or used to TORTURE PEOPLE.

Beautiful. I’ve been wondering for a while why none of the state legislatures was standing up for the powers that they had lost because of the unwarranted expansion of the federal government. It looks like one finally is. I hope recipients of this letter in other states will give it the serious attention it warrants.

There is one historical error in the letter, though. The author states “The Constitutional ratifying structure was created so it would be clear that it was the People, and not the States, that were doing the ratifying.” Actually, it was the states that ratified the Constitution.

Michael Boldin tries a typical trick of conservatives, flip the slow-witted left-winger on his head by changing the debate.

So how is the question ‘reversed?’ That demands something named argument, not rhetoric. You actually have to address the substance, not the fascia.

You certainly rely on slippery slopes, undoubtedly the Rumsfeldian logic of “sweeping up” Saddam Hussein. Authoritarian types around the world quake at the slightest expansion of anyone’s power for the non-right-wing equity in America. Republicans are just big-business cronies and accomplices after the fact.

Do you right-wing dough heads agree Obama should have bowed to fear and bailed the still-non-lending banks out? Do you think Wall Street gutted the national coffers? I know your masters call you and ask you to forget free market enterprise when the fat cats on the strings behind the Republican co-conspirators need a little liquid capital. Welfare? Socialist. Universal healthcare? Communist. Keeping the country club intact? All American!

So what justification do you New World Order cronies (because those big businesses you’re protecting with vitriol and common hatred for common humans are actually conspiring to overthrow the American Constitution) have to suppose, if Barack Obama makes healthcare a matter of rights and not of profit the federal tyranny of fascism will descend over the homeland?

Don’t you read, haven’t you noticed the most chauvinistic, pro-war, xenophobic, nationalist (and other adjectives that describe NAZIS) people are the dicks bankrolling your wife-cheating, page-fucking political ‘representatives.’ Do Republicans represent you any more when the biggest cheats come from them: Nixon, senile Reagan, demonic W. It’s time to wake up and grow some sensibilities beyond what your bible-study fuck mates repeat with ardour for daddy at the ho-hum turkey roast with apple pie/state fair shit your own pharmie loading children don’t represent, if they grunt in response. Just ask your doctor and I’m sure you’ll get some life-curbing advice on everything the Lynn Cheney shoot hasn’t crapped on you!

Where is it contra the liberty of all people to be given non-profit healthcare?

And don’t try that slippery slope bullshit. It’s called fallacy for a reason discovered by ancient Greeks long ago: logic. I don’t want to hear your alter egos talking from the primordial mess of feelings and conviction, address the argument!

Why is it American to drop sick people out of the system and un-American to make every person thrive? Because they’re not white, god-fearing, cousin-fucking, preacher-fucking professionals with 2.1 kids, 4 cars and 3 dogs? Where is the impediment to give by federal necessity what is unprovided by wealthy-stock state government? The Founding Fathers didn’t include provisions for treating the sick and poor. They also whipped slave boys and told women to hold their peace if they dared talk out of turn. They turned profit off of black labour. Does this mean they are less informed about the universal plight of people nowadays? Do you really think the federal government wasn’t more hungry under Cheney’s guide of Bust for expansion of executive privilege? A hated turned coined by Nazi jurists was invoked by both Nixon and Cheney. Get their dick out your ass and wake up!

Wow, Stephen!, the more you wrote, the more angry and foul mouthed you got. Apparently you don’t understand the concept of self-government, i.e., self-control, self-restraint. One thing that I’d like you to answer me, though. You wrote:

So what justification do you [blah, blah, blah] have to suppose, if Barack Obama makes healthcare a matter of rights and not of profit the federal tyranny of fascism will descend over the homeland?

My question is this — by what construction do you suppose that Hussein Obama has authority to “make healthcare a matter of rights”? Whatever it is, let that be the answer to your question.

P.S. Cursing and rage doesn’t make for a particularly effective argument, I gotta tell ya.

I hope that the cynics, the detractors and naysayers who have been incessantly complaining that “resolutions are meaningless, etc…” (you know who you are) will finally take notice and acknowledge that, indeed, virtually all of the Tenth Amendment Resolutions which have been proposed, and/or passed in the various state legislatures contains a provision for creation of a committee tasked with the self-same responsibilities which Rep. Lynn enunciates in the letter above.

Stephen, (or should I call him Mr. Potty mouth), makes it pretty obvious to anyone who spends any time here that he hasn’t taken any time at all trying to actually understand the first thing about the diverse views and opinions that “tenthers” hold, least of all Michael Boldin’s.

I’m not sure what tiny little world he lives in, but it’s obviously overflowing with enough hate, paranoia and unfocused anger to make him post such a uncivilized, confused rant like the one above.

At first I found his incoherent post funny, but after reading the entire thing, I just find it sad. I recently discovered a word just the other day that I would describe what is has acted like in this forum:

My country tis of thee
sweet land of liberty.
Why are you sleeping
when there’s work to be done.
Our fathers cry out to thee
do you remember me?
or have you forgotten
how your freedom was won?
So wake up America
there’s trouble among us
if you can’t see it
your freedom soon may be gone.
So stand up for liberty
that your children too may sing,
My Country Tis of Thee,
our song.

As I read these posts, I realize one very important aspect of America,in all her glory; and that is the people. The basic human beings that are part of the fabric and color that is us.

Nothing worth while will be easy. Hardship came in the form of starvation, and death in the beginning of our great nation. For those who say we will give up much in the form of government largesse; if we get back our income capability and give the funds instead to the state in which we live, we will have lost nothing. The short run will be hard. Oh,but in the future we will look, once again with pride, on bringing America back from the brink of total disaster.

That is where I want to stand. Force government to its knees and give back to the people what is rightfully theirs. And use the system which was given to us those long years ago to do it. Rightful and righteous indeed.

The people posting on here seem to have no knowledge of the Constitution nor how the US Government has evolved over 200 years. The issues of States rights VS Federal rights has been debated in courts and elsewhere since alnost the day the Bill of Rights was approved. The Constition was written for a country of 3 million white citizens (half of them women who could not vote) it is not a religous document. The courts and legislatures have had to intepret, amend, and allow for advances and changes in society.

Government exists to benefit the least of us: the sick, the poor, etc. I suggest you join the 21st century. A diverse world much better than any supposed past that only existed for rich white men!!

Bernard: Have you ever read the Constitution? The amendments are clear but what are the changes you are suggesting? There are always court challenges but court challenges do not fundamentally change the document. New cases are always brought before the Supreme Court and depending on the makeup of the court interpretations differ. The “white” guy thing is old, tired, and a red herring. It was not a religious document but it was based on our Christian principles. You need to re-read and come back when you are prepared to make a real comment that shows you should be taken seriously.

The constitution protects the individuals freedoms rich, poor, sick or healthy. It has nothing to do with government healthcare…

Always a big supporter of the 10th amendment, however this effort is as transparent as they come. Where was it when it was truly needed during the Bush administration. The anti Obama comments expose this effort for what it truly is. When you want to propose this when Obama’s term is up 7 years from now, when we don’t know what party will be controlling the White House and Congress, sign me up, until then work on the right wing wackos trying to tear this country down.

I’m wondering what wisdom the “several states” (nice command of outdated English!) have to offer beyond run-of-the-mill political disagreements over particular policies. Why not debate policies rather than go constitutional and obscure the debate?

For all those newly self-appointed constitutional scholars out there, here’s a hint: that document is a starting point for making other laws. It’s not the sum of all possible laws, nor was it intended to be so. Somehow these bizarre constitutional fundamentalists have dreamed up a hysterical legal crisis because they’re politically weak and intellectually bankrupt.

Most of these people are a bunch of uneducated scandalmongers and conspiracy loons who wouldn’t recognize “original intent” if it kicked them in the ass.

It appears that the biggest “state right” being violated by Obama right now is the right for states to go bankrupt if their finances are hosed and if their leaders don’t understand economics or economic history.

It’s amazing how these freaks keep ranting about “we the people” when at heart they don’t recognize the validity of the lawful election in which a decisive majority chose the current leadership. They’re just whiny losers who have to dress up their childish urges in melodramatic constitution and republic talk. They’re mostly either opportunists (like probably this exalted Tennessee legislator) or under-informed over-opinionated followers of whatever conservative nationalist mantras get yelled the loudest.

For all their deep feelings, these Johnny-come-lately cranks didn’t recognize that the biggest affronts to freedom in recent memory happened during the Bush years–warrantless wiretapping and all the “Patriot Act” intrusions. Under what rock were all these 10th Amendment devotees hiding a few years ago?

Part of the responsibility in a “republic” is to be able to have reasoned discussion, not kooky emotional tirades about “patriots” and their bizarre mix of theocratic insights (they seem to think the founding of the US was tied to biblical events–maybe this is a Mormon view?) and historical fictions (oh the Founding Fathers? many of them were not pious Christians like their 21st-century worshipers are!).

If you can’t embrace the use of facts and ordinary reasoning, I don’t see how you can have a place at the table of public policy.

Please, please so that we and our children may have hope for a future free of the dark evils that is communism..call your representatives and DEMAND!!! they join this movement. Yes you need to DEMAND it and you have that right it’s just been forgotten / hidden for way to long. I can see now why I don’t know my natural born AMERICAN rights like I should. They don’t really teach it or hammer it in at schools anymore just like our pledge. It’s like learning your multiples via flash cards as you repeat over and over…over the material. Learning the constitution, pledge, and national language should be the most important teachings as you have to learn history to have a future. I am sick and tired of being dictated to by my, tax payed, government who works for me. They work for us as in ” We the People ” ..what employer lets there employees dictate and control them? It’s truly time to burn these cancerous amendments and start over with the basics. We would be doing such a disgrace to a untold amount of heroic, brave, patriotic and honorable men and women to not stand up for ourself and take back what was given to us by there incomprehensible sacrifice. This is not going to be easy; it’s going to be down right nasty achieving this but it must be done.

For the sake of AMERICA and your quality of life turn off the reality shows and dedicate a little time towards your future by becoming engaged and exercising your natural constitutional rights…..write your elected officials.

John, not to be a wise-*ss, but who really wants you under those conditions? You’re certainly entitled to make your own choices and to establish your own conditions for becoming a part, or not, of a voluntary movement such as this one. But, you see, you and your kind aren’t going to make or break the movement depending on whether you decide to participate in it or not for ideological or other reasons. I mean, this isn’t “big-tent conservatism” here. You know, that brand of “conservatism” that’s willing to be all things to all people all the time, thus it’s anything but. What we’re talking about here, John, is a clear and explicit constitutional restriction on the power and scope of government. Either you’re with that or you’re not. But no one’s going to hold the train at the station while you twiddle your thumbs, promising to board when everything meets with your approval. You’re just not that important, John. Sorry.

Seth, did you have something meaningful or worthwhile to say, other than stating the obvious about the constitution not being the sum total of all laws? About all I can make out of your post otherwise is this — that you despise people who are your political and ideological opposites, and count them both unqualified and unworthy to sit at the same table with your intellectually superior self. See there, I summed up your lengthy, bloviating rant in one short sentence. See how easy that is.

Although you completely mischaracterized the 10th Amendment movement, (which is anything BUT exclusively right wing), and failed to refute a single one of its non-partisan principles, such as limited decentralized government based on the idea that the text of the Constitution has a fixed and knowable meaning, (something intellectual giants like Jefferson and Madison understood), you did manage to abuse those who ignored Bush area usurpations without resorting to foul language. Good job!

Unfortunately, these “Johnny-come-lately” folks you seem to think compose a large part of this movement have never made up its core membership or its intellectual leadership. But for those of them who have recently “seen the light” and are now joining us in promoting Constitutional federalism, I say “Welcome”! But as far as just about everyone else in the movement, both scholars and informed laymen like myself, we were just as critical of Bush then as we are of Obama today. Maybe you didn’t notice that the article archives on this website date back to JAN 2007. GOLLY! That was actually BEFORE the federal government was dominated by the Democrats!

So when you ask, “Under what rock were all these 10th Amendment devotees hiding a few years ago?” I would say that if you knew anything at all about this movement and its long history, you’d realize we haven’t been hiding, we’ve just been ignored until recently. As Gandhi said, “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win.”

If adopting your sloppy and abusive manner of debate is what you mean when you say we should embrace “the use of facts and ordinary reasoning” I WANT TO BE WEIRD!

When Seth explained to all you “newly self-appointed constitutional scholars” that the Constitution, “..is a starting point for making other laws. Itâ€™s not the sum of all possible laws, nor was it intended to be so”, I have to ask if any of you didn’t already know that? Thanks Seth, you are truly master of the obvious!

I guess the difference between him and you “newly self-appointed constitutional scholars” is that you all childishly refuse to accept the idea that those other laws can be just about anything Congress happens to feel is in the country’s best interest. You are wacky enough to suggest that those other laws must actually be pursuant to the few and carefully enumerated powers granted to Congress in the Constitution. You don’t seem to understand that the Constitution cannot bind a government that has the people’s mandate! Furthermore, you commit political blasphemy by pointing out that US S CT justices are part of the federal government itself and might be biased when it comes to disputes between the federal government and state governments. You seem to imply that they are fallen mortal men rather than black robed deities! You are paranoid enough to think that if the federal government is allowed to judge the extent of its own powers it will always rule in favor of itself in an arbitrary fashion. You just don’t get it! The federal government only wants what’s best for you!